Chapter 3:

A New Home for now?

Phoenix could't help but wonder what her dad had said to her mother that changed her mind, but she really didn't care. She was able to help out her friend and she loved that, but still the sound of alarm in her mothers voice she just couldn't forget about it.
"What's up?" Max asked.

" ?" Phoenix answered.

"You haven't spoken and we are almost to my house." Max explained.

"Oh it's nothing I am just thinking about something." Phoenix replied.

"Well don't think about it to hard." Max said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Um because you don't want to get a headache." Max replied. Phoenix knew he was lying and she could also tell he meant something else but she couldn't put her paw on it. The whole way there it had been nagging at her, and the thought finally came to her. She knew what Max had meant.

"Hey Max." Phoenix said.

"Yea?" he answered.

"What did you mean when you said not tho think about it to hard?" Phoneix asked. "No lies just the truth." She added.

"Okay. When you were in the vent a gas that was odorless and colorless was released." Max said.

"What was in that gas?" Phoenix asked.

"A chemical that mixes in with you genes to adapt and kinda give you a look into your parents past." Max replied. Even though she didn't know what he was talking about she continued on with the conversation.

"So let me get this straight. I can see what happened to my parents in the past?" Phoenix asked.

"Sort of." He replied. "You can look into the past but only for a little. Sooner or later the gas will leave the body." He added.

"Is there a way that you could permanently have it in your body?" she asked.

"I'm not really sure we will have to check with Benji when we get there." Max replied.

As they walked around the bend they saw a P.E.T.A. truck. At the sight of the truck Phoenix hung back while Max continued. When Max looked to see where she was he asked "What are you doing back there?"

"I don't wanna go back to that lab." Phoenix answered in a worried tone.

"It's okay they aren't here to take you away." Max said trying to comfort her.

Phoenix cautiously came around the corner her eyes still fixed on the menacing truck, and as she came close it seemed to laugh at her, and it continued to laugh as she passed it and headed into Max's house. Inside it seemed bigger than what she remembered, even though she never really got to explore the whole house, and as they walked though it Phoenix began to get confused. Finally they came to a room that she remembered. This was the room where she had felt like she was being held against her will as she waited to be led home, and now she has returned to help the one that started it all.

The room itself was remade to where ti was more comfortable. Instead of pillows to lay on there was a bed, and instead of waiting to be fed there was food dishes that refilled themselves. Phoenix couldn't remember herself felling more at home vefore, and she instantly forgot about the P.E.T.A. truck and the rest of her problems.

"This room has been made so that the one that enters it can be in peace by forgetting about the bad things of life." Max said.

"That would explain why I like it so much." Phoenix replied.

"Yes ever since I took you home we have been devoted to helping other dogs get out of the lab." A familiar voice said.

Phoenix turned to address the one that had spoke but no one was there. Phoenix looked back at Max who just smiled back.

"Did you hear that?" she asked.

"Yea it's Benji." Max replied.

"Where is he?" Phoenix asked.

"He is at work right now, but he can hear what is being said through his collar, and if he want then he can speak to anyone in the house using the collar." Max explained.

"Neat." Phoenix said.

"yes it's very neat indeed." Benji said. "Max I'll be up in a little, I have some pups that need looked after."

"Alright just bring them up, but be careful about it." Max said. " You don't want to get caught again." He added with a laugh.

"No I doubt that would be good for me." Benji replied returning Max's laugh with his own.

"While you are down there I am gonna take Phoenix here on a tour of the house and get her fitted." Max said quietly.

"Alright you do that, and also teach her how to use the collar." Benji said before there was a peep on the sterio.

"Let's go." Max said.

"Get me fitted for what?" Phoenix asked.

"You will see." Max said.

Thoughtout the next our and a half max had shown Phoenix paces in the house that were restricted, and places where she was allowed to be. She could't belive it, every room that she was allowed in was made just for dogs, and she wondered what type of person could afford such a nice house. Finally the tour finished and they headed ack down to the "Peacefull room" as Max had called it. Benji was already there waiting for them.
"I see that you didn't get you fittend." Benji said.

"I didn't have time." Max replied.

"We will worry about that later." Benji said. "But for now we need to take care of these pups, so Phoenix you go pick yourself a room and after that you can have the rest of the week to yourself." Benji added.

With her tail wagging Phoenix left the room and headed upstairs to look at the rooms that weren't restricted. As day turned to night she found a room she liked. The roof was made out of glass so she could look up and see the night sky. The room was cool in temperature, and it had a place where she could bathe herself.

"Ah I see you found a room." A voice said. Phoenix jumped a little.

"Oh it's just you Max." Phoenix said with a sigh of relife.

"You are to easy to scare." Max said. Phoenix just looked at him with a disgusted look on her face. "What?" he asked.

"You infuriate me." Phoenix replied sarcasticly.

"How's that?" Max asked.

"You always seem to pop up when I get comfortable." she answered.

"Okay I'll leave, I just wanted to tell you that you get fitted tomarrow." he replied.

"Alright I am going to bed." Phoenix said.

"Goodnight." Max said as he nuged the door closed with his nose. "Finally time by myself." she whispered as she headed towards the bath. When she steped on a button the water came out of the faucet. She waited until she saw the steam from the warm water before getting in. The warm water rushed over her fur and it felt good. She had never been in water this warm before. Phoenix had spent at least an hour before pressing another button which made soap come out of the faucet. The soap smelled of roses and sweet ripe berries. Phoenix washed the soap off and pressed one more button which turned on a large blow dryer in the roof. She quickly dried off and headed back towards her bed. "I guess being curious isn't that bad." Phoenix said to herself ash she laid down to sleep.